Spider Solitaire is a popular variation of a single-player card
game, and often played using two decks of cards. Similar to traditional
solitaire, the objective of the game is to clear or expose all
the cards.

The goal of the Spider Solitaire game is to build cards in descending
order: King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8,7,6,5,4,3,2, and Ace in the
columns of the tableau. Once you form this sequence, you can instantly
locate it to the foundation. Once you play all the cards and you
have moved them to 8 separate descending sequences, then you win
the game.

In order to determine significant differences, it is ideal to
define the terms used in playing the game.

The tableau refers to the columns and rows of cards where you
play the game. In the conventional form, the tableau is made of
seven columns with every column containing a single card rested
atop on a stack of cards on face down. While traditional Solitaire
is played with seven stacks in the table, Spider Solitaire is
played with 10 stacks.

The Foundation refers to the area in the tableau where you need
to move the cards as you play the game. Your objective is to move
all the cards in the Foundation. Meanwhile, the stock refers to
the remaining cards that are not yet dealt when you set up the
game. Once you cannot make more moves with the current face up
cards, you can pick cards from the stock.

Spider Solitaire is different from traditional Solitaire Game
in terms of Suits, Sequencing Cards, and Stock.

Suits

In traditional Solitaire, the four suits are played. But in
Spider Solitaire, this is not strictly observed. There are three
levels according to difficulty - One Suit (Easy), Two Suits (Medium),
and Three Suits (Hard). It is highly recommended that you master
each suit first before you move up.

Card Sequence

In playing both games, you need to rearrange the cards in the
tableau in numerical descending order. In playing Spider Solitaire,
the cards should be of the same suit for you to arrange them in
sequential order. This is in opposite to conventional solitaire
wherein the sequencing of the cards should be alternating black
and red suits.

Stock

In the traditional form, you need to deal one card from the stock
once you can’t make any moves. In Spider Solitaire game,
using the stock means adding one card to every column in the tableau,
which has advantages and disadvantages. The main advantage is
that you can work with more cards. On the other side of the coin,
the cards that you have dealt will cover the sequences that you
have already made, which means you need to sort them out of the
tableau to continue the card sequences.

Spider Solitaire is regarded as one of the most difficult among
the variations of solitaire game. Based on how the cards are drawn,
most games can be very difficult to win. It is estimated that
you can only win at least 50% of the time. Take note of this and
just don’t concentrate on your score. The game is for entertainment
so just enjoy it.

Rules of the Solitaire Game

Building the card sequence is done on the columns on the tableau
with the foundations not really an active element in the game.
You can move revealed cards from the end of the column to another
column if you build a valid sequence even from different suits,
for example: 7 of spades, 6 of hearts, 5 of spades, 4 of clubs,
and 3 of diamonds.

You can also transfer a packed sequence of descending cards
as one group to another column if they are from similar suit such
as 9 heart, 8 heart, 7 heart on 10 heart or 10 club. Hence, you
can try to pack cards of the same suit if it is allowed, or else
you will stuck early on. If you can create a complete sequence
of descending cards from King to Ace, then you can move instantly
to one foundation.

You can move any card or a sequence of descending cards to empty
tableau columns. Once you cannot make any move, you can click
on the stock to draw another card to every column on the tableau.
It is a must to fill the empty columns in the tableau before you
can draw cards from the stock, even it could break the sequence
that you have already created.

The 2-Suit Version Solitaire Online

The 2-Suit Version is a common type of Spider Solitaire that
you can play online. In order to simulate the game using a two-standard
card decks, just think that all black cards are one suit and the
other is all red cards. The packs can be transferred if they are
in perfect order and they are all from similar suits. For example,
you can move a 10 of hearts, a 9 of hearts and an 8 of diamonds
unto a red Jack.